“The Show Me state is headed for a showdown over a move to rein in the adult-entertainment industry at a time when every job counts—even those of strippers,” reports Joe Barrett for the WSJ.com here. According to the article, Missouri’s “Republican-controlled legislature [recently] passed one of the nation’s toughest state laws aimed at strip clubs and other adult-entertainment venues. It [...]

Yesterday the Louisiana’s Court of Appeal (Second Circuit) issued this opinion. It begins: We granted rehearing to further review whether the Shreveport City Council (the “City Council” or “City”) abused its discretion when it reversed the decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals (the “ZBA”) which granted the special exception use to Roland Toups for his [...]

When Cowboy’s applied for a liquor license, “[o]pponents, including WyWatch Family Action members, crowded commission meetings for the initial approval in September 2008 and for the renewal in February 2009, saying the establishment[] would cause an increase in sex crimes, exploitation of women, prostitution, and the promotion of obscenity,” reports Tom Martin here for the [...]

In an opinion issued Tuesday, the court of appeals held that “the limited rights Texas has given its state-licensed retailers to make deliveries do not transgress the dormant Commerce Clause.” Adding: We now turn briefly to the separate provisions regarding personal importing. As mentioned before, Texas has placed a limit on the quantity of [...]

“First wine, then beer. Now even spirits get micro,” as reported in this article from The Mainichi Daily News. According to the article, Bill Owens of the American Distilling Institute estimates the number of small distilleries at just over 200, and growing by about 20 to 30 a year. They have sprouted up in more than three dozen [...]

“Massachusetts officials appeal from an injunction against a 2006 Massachusetts statute establishing differential methods by which wineries distribute wines in Massachusetts, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 138, § 19F. The district court enjoined enforcement of § 19F on the ground that the law discriminates against interstate commerce in violation of the Commerce Clause of the United [...]

Pro’s Sports Bar & Grill is not happy with the City of Country Club Hills. When Pro’s applied to the City for a liquor license, the City claims, it was given a license that allows it to operate, but only with more restricted hours than is typical. (The City says it conditioned a license on Pro’s closing at 12:30 a.m., almost 3 hours earlier [...]

This tale sounds familiar. It’s about the Singhs, who operate a retail martket in south Stockton, California. The Singh’s “market has been selling alcohol for about 60 years as a legal nonconforming use. Located in a high crime area, its parking lot has been a center of criminal activity, from loitering, public drunkenness, gambling and narcotics activity to assaults, [...]

Tandem opinions from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals were released yesterday. In the first case, Entertainment Productions, Inc. and others sued Shelby County, challenging the constitutionality of the Tennessee Adult-Oriented Establishment Registration Act on First Amendment grounds. EP argued four points: First, the definitions of “adult cabaret,” “adult-oriented establishment,” and “adult entertainment” render the Act unconstitutionally overbroad; [...]

“A Maryland law that sought to block strip clubs in Prince George’s County from selling alcohol carved out an unconstitutional exception for a club that was owned by a former state senator, a federal judge held this week,” reports The Washington Post here. Read the decision.